A New Heart
by throwthesand
Summary: Alison Smith is just another orphan in the foggy city of San Francisco - until a man called the Doctor falls into her life. Is this 13 year old girl really what she seems? Or will the mysterious pocket watch she's always had bring her a new life with the Doctor?
1. Chapter 1

Alison Smith was watering petunias. She had a small garden all to her self in the orphanage's backyard. It had taken a lot of begging and pleading, but it was a nice little garden and she was very proud of it.

The giant church three doors down started to chime twelve with its big clock that stuck out like a sore thumb in the short, earthquake proof San Francisco neighborhood. Almost without thinking, Alison took out the small, dented pocket watch she always kept with her. She absentmindedly traced the alien looking symbols on the lid with her thumbnail. According to the head of the Two Hearts Orphanage, Alison had had it when she showed up, 8 years old, on the front porch. Even though it was only 5 years ago, Alison still felt like everything about her life before the orphanage was a blur... like she should remember something she couldn't quite grasp.

The final, loud _DONG _of the church bells snapped Alison out of her dreamy haze back to reality, where she was drowning the petunias.

"Dang it," Alison muttered under her breath. A few worse words flicked through her mind, but she considered herself a good girl and never said anything bad, even when no one else was around. She turned off the hose and started back inside, when a cool breeze whipped at her hair. It all seemed quite normal until she remembered taller buildings surrounded them – there was no breeze.

Her suspicions were confirmed when a loud – no, _very _loud – screeching noise came from the origin of the breeze. Alison whipped around, keeping to the shadows of an old, rusty swing set and slide that occupied the corner of the yard. The orphanage was relatively large, even though only twenty or so children resided there, so Alison didn't bother checking if anyone else had heard. _They're all probably in the game room playing video games,_ she thought to herself. Anyways, she liked to be alone, and didn't want anyone else to scare off whatever it was that was slowly fading into view.

After just a few more seconds, there stood a small blue box. **Police Public Call Box,** it read. It was an incredible blue color, and only occupied a few square feet of ground. But somehow, Alison was not surprised to see two men and a young girl spill out in a frantic hurry.

"Doctor, how much time have we got?" The red headed girl asked. She had a beautiful Scottish accent, and very good fashion sense. She seemed to be addressing the taller of the two men.

The man in question looked down at his watch. "Seven minutes, eight seconds. No time to lose!" He had a British accent, and wore a very red bow tie, which went well with the rest of his odd attire. "Come along then, Ponds! No time to lose!" he dashed off towards the fence.

"That's not how it works," protested the other man, also British. "It's Williams now. Mr. and Mrs. Williams." But his efforts went unnoticed as the young woman followed this 'Doctor' over the garden fence. The last man followed after them, and Alison heard their footsteps pounding off into the night.

Tentatively, Alison stepped out from behind the play set. She walked over the where the mysterious blue box had crushed a few of her petunias. She walked around it, letting her fingers slide across the smooth wooden surface. It felt like wood but... somehow Alison knew it wasn't. She felt it like a tingling in her fingertips, and a tiny ribbon of light – of memory – slipped across the back of her mind. She grabbed at it desperately, but it was gone in an instant.

As Alison stepped back from the box, something shining in the light of the last few rays of sunset caught her eye. A silver metal thing lay in the grass. _It must have fallen out of that man's pocket, _Alison thought. She bent to pick it up. What was it? A flashlight? A pen? She pressed a small button on the side. Suddenly, the tip lit up and a high-pitched whirring sound buzzed from the device.

Somewhere down the street, a lamp exploded.

Alison turned it over in her fingers. _Sonic screwdriver, important, _flashed along the back of her mind. She looked up, surprised. Where did that come from? _Important, important._ Alison had a feeling that man needed his... oh, she had already forgotten what it was called.

She looked back at the orphanage. It was almost sunset, but their curfew was ten o'clock. The staff knew that Alison usually stayed out late in her garden anyways. She'd be fast.

With these reassuring thoughts in her mind, Alison took one last look at the orphanage and jumped the fence.


	2. Chapter 2

Alison's feet pounded on sidewalk as she dropped down on the other side of the fence and broke into a run. She looked guiltily back at Two Hearts Orphanage. _Funny name, _Alison thought briefly, then continued on her run.

The neighborhood the orphanage was located in was mostly elderly people, so it was very quiet, and Alison could hear the calls of the three adults she was following echo down the streets.

"Doctor, which way?" came the Scottish lilt of the red headed woman.

"I don't know, isn't there a Torchwood Street or something?" the 'Doctor' called back.

"Don't you have a map or something?" the other man asked.

"I don't need a map," the 'Doctor's' voice came grumbling back. "I think it's left."

"No, it's right. I've got directions on my phone," The woman replied.

Alison crept up quietly behind them, keeping to the shadows. The trio stood by a street lamp whose light bulb had exploded. _Wonder how that happened,_ Alison briefly thought, before her attention was turned back to the argument at hand.

"Where'd you get a smart phone? I thought you only had flip-phones in your time period." The 'Doctor' huffed.

"I got it that time we went to the Olympics in Rio, 2016. Remember? Right after that whole 'share-the-Earth thing'. I'm surprised you didn't notice."

"And it says right, does it?"

"Yes."

"Fine." The 'Doctor' took off running down the street, Alison in close pursuit.

They ran for several blocks. Alison began to get tired, but these three seemed to be in excellent shape. _They must do a lot of running,_ Alison thought, resting for a second. _I should really work harder in P.E._ She forced her legs to move again desperately, almost losing them when they turned a corner. But finally, they came upon the Torch & Co. building.

Alison paused for breath as the 'Doctor' and his friends ran through a hole torn in the fence. _What would they want with Torch & Co.? _Alison wondered, following them at a safe distance. _It's just a firewood bundling factory._ She paused outside the dented, open door though. It was dark, and the interior seemed... eerie. It was almost like something big had clawed its way in. There were claw marks on the walls, but Alison didn't notice them in the dark. "Hello?" she called tentatively, stepping forward. "He-ahhhhhhhhhhh!"

Alison fell down what felt like a metal flight of steps. She recovered quickly, though, when a menacing ROOOOAAAAAAARRRR! Echoed through the corridor. Pounding foot steps started to head towards her.

"Hello?" Alison called out. "Blue Box people? I need some help."

ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR! The creature was defiantly closer.

"Hello? Please!"

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

"I have your silver pen thing!" Alison cried. "You landed on my petunias!"

Suddenly the creature stood in front of her. Alison gulped. It was about six feet tall, and very... lizardy. Its claws were huge and long, and it scraped them menacingly along the wall as it approached Alison. Green bile dripped from its jaws. "He – he – help?" It came out more like a question than a plea, and Alison pressed her eyes shut, preparing for the inevitable.

"Now, Rory!"

Alison opened her eyes just a crack. That other man had a red bucket of something steaming, and he threw it onto the lizard creature, which screamed and ran over to where the woman was standing.

"Now, Amy!"

The woman flung open a door, and bright, painful light shone through as the lizard creature was sucked in, like a portal.

Alison's jaw hung open. "You... I..." she cleared her throat. "You dropped this," she muttered, and handed the 'Doctor' the screwdriver.

"My screwdriver!" he exclaimed, pleased. He turned to the other two. "Well then Ponds, I believe that would be the last we'll be seeing of that-"

"Nameot," Alison finished.

"How did you know what that was?" the 'Doctor' mumbled, as he studied Alison closer. "What's your name?"

"Um... Alison," Alison said nervously.

"You followed us all the way here just for this? Dangerous. You must be very brave. Thank you, anyways. It's very important." He tossed the screwdriver up into the air, and then slipped it into his pocket.

Alison studied the Doctor's face closely. It almost seemed familiar in a way... not the way you would recognize someone you know, but the way a dog would recognize another dog, or a lizard would recognize any other lizard. Her watch seemed to get hotter, and she started to reach for it; to feel the beginnings of memories returning...

"Alison?"

"Huh?" Alison reached for her pocket protectively.

"What's in your pocket?"

"What-" Golden tendrils of light snaked out through her fingers that covered her pocket. When she removed her hand, the glow was almost blinding. _The same light I saw in my mind._ "It's in my head..."

The world started to go black. "My head..."

Darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

Alison slowly blinked the black spots from her eyes. Her vision tripled and blurred, until she could just make out a big, red...

"Bow tie," Alison grunted.

A very bright, green light shone right in Alison's eyes. "Urgh..." she moaned.

"Sorry about that. Just making sure," the 'Doctor' rambled.

Alison moved to sit up, but the 'Doctor' gently pushed her back down. "No, no. You need rest. Fainted of utter shock... and other things," he added quickly as an afterthought, "And I don't think now would be the best time for you to-"

"Where am I," Alison demanded. "Have you kidnapped me?"

"What? No! I mean, you were all fainted and stuff. What else was I supposed to do?" he cried, following after her asked she walked around the console.

"Who are you?" Alison said, turning on him. "Who are you and where is this?"

"I'm the Doctor, and this is my TARDIS," The Doctor said, grinning.

"'Doctor' what?" Alison asked. "Doctor who?"

"Exactly," the Doctor said, grinning broadly.

"Your name can't just be 'Doctor'," Alison protested. "You've got to be Doctor something!"

"Just the Doctor, that's me," The Doctor said, as he danced around the console, flipping switches and buttons. "Hold on!"

There was a huge jolt, and Alison fell back onto the woman. "You alright?" The woman asked, helping Alison to her feet. Alison nodded weakly. "My name's Amy," the woman said. "And that's Rory," she added, pointing out the other man.

"Hello," said Rory, waving.

"Hello," said Alison weakly. "Um," she stammered, "what is this?"

"I told you," said the Doctor, sounding insulted, "It's the TARDIS."

"The TARDIS?"

"Yes. Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. Honestly, what are they teaching children in school these days?"

"Time and relative.. dimensions in... what?"

"It's a time machine," Amy clarified.

"A time machine."

"Yes!" the Doctor exclaimed, whirling around. "I can take you anywhere you like, anywhere in time in space. On one condition; it has to be incredible!"

"Can I come?!" Alison said excitedly.

"Well, we just need to sort out that little matter about your pocket watch. Now tell me about it. How long have you had it? Did you find it somewhere on the street?"

"Calm down, Doctor. What about the girl's parents?" Amy interjected.

"I don't have parents," said Alison calmly. Oddly enough, she never felt the slightest hint of sadness when she told people that. "I showed up on the doorstep of Two Hearts Orphanage when I was eight. But before that is just a blur."

"Two Hearts," the Doctor muttered to himself. "Never ignore coincidence-" The TARDIS gave a sudden jolt, and the whole room shook about like an earthquake. "Unless you're busy, then always ignore coincidence!" the Doctor cried, running to the control panel.

"Help!" Alison fell down the now tilted floor into the wall. As if in slow motion, the watch flew out of Alison's pocket. She grabbed for it, but it hit the wall and burst open. A golden light exploded out of the watch and completely enveloped her in it's golden glow.

"Alison!" Amy exclaimed, sliding down.

"Amy, get back!" the Doctor commanded.

"But she's hurt!"

"Trust me," the Doctor said. "No matter what happens, don't touch her. This is going to be rough."


	4. Chapter 4

"Help me..."

Alison's back arched, and glowing golden light flowed out of her face, hands, and feet. The pain was overwhelming.

_I'm going to die,_ Alison thought. _This is it; my body can't take much more. I'm going to die._

**_No, you are not._**

_Who's that? _Alison thought, panicked. _Who's in my head?_

**_It's me,_** came the thought waves. These were not the golden strands of the TARDIS, but a thick, blue ribbon weaving through her mind. **_It's the Doctor._**

_What's happening? _Alison quickly thought back. _What's happening to me? Please make it stop._

**_I can't_**, the Doctor thought back. **_You have to be strong, Alison. I need you to remember. This connection won't last much longer. _**

_But-_

**_Remember... _**That thick, blue ribbon withdrew from Alison's mind, though she made every last attempt to keep it there. Alison usually wasn't scared of things like horror movies, or the dark. But right now, she was very, very afraid of being alone.

Suddenly, Alison felt something flicker. Ignoring the pain of her atoms being torn apart, she reached for it. Something throbbed in her head as she did. _Is that you, Doctor?_ She called out, in the dark recesses of her mind. _Have you come back?_ The reached even further back, until... there. An image. An image of trees with silver leaves, and two burning suns in the sky. Alison let herself fall back into that image.

_"Rayla, where are you going?" Alison called._

_"Come over here, Alista! Look what I found!"_

_Alison ran through the falling silver leaves over to her friend. "We have to hurry though, Rayla. If we aren't home by the first sunset, Mother will get mad!"_

_Rayla sighed. "But everyone else our age gets to stay out until the second sunset! That's no fair!" Rayla said. "But come on Alista. You're so slow!"_

_"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Alison cried, running as fast as she could to prove Rayla wrong. "I'm way faster than you!"_

_"Are not!" Rayla laughed._

_"Am too!" Alista huffed, reaching the clearing where Rayla stood. "Look." The first sun was just starting to set over the hill, making the trees look like they were on fire. "Hurry up and show me whatever you found, so we can go home."_

_"Look," Rayla said quietly, holding up her finger. Two fiery orange beetles sat peacefully there, gently buzzing their wings. "Here." Rayla passed one carefully onto Alison's hand. Alison looked at it flutter around her palm. "Make a wish!" Rayla said happily, and they released their bugs into the air._

_Alison watched them fly away together, and took Rayla's hand. "Those bugs are just like us," Alison said. "Best friends!"_

_"That's right," Rayla laughed, "Alista and Rayla, together forever!" The two ran off into the woods, and..._

"Help me!" Alison screamed. She was pretty sure she had done more than think that, but she had to make sure. "HELP ME!" she yelled, as loud as she could. Her back arched up again, and she felt something throbbing hard in her chest. She gasped.

The second heart beat slowly, and then started to speed up a little. With each beat Alison felt more at ease with it being there, inside her chest. But the pain had not lessened. Alison opened her eyes and was blinded by the glow. "AHH!" she screamed. She felt the gentle golden strands of the TARDIS inside her head, trying to soothe her. It helped a little, and Alison could focus on the next memory.

_"Look Alista, your hair is sticking up straight! Let me fix it," Rayla giggled. _

_Alison frantically tried to smooth her hair down. "It won't stay!" She huffed. 'I don't think it even likes me."_

_"Don't be silly, Alista," Rayla chuckled, "hair doesn't have feelings!"_

_"Mine does," Alison pouted. She stood up and walked over to the window. "It's hard to believe that in just a few months, we'll have our ceremony done, and then we'll be off to real school!" She watched the twin suns blaze in the sky. "Then someday we'll get a TARDIS together, and we'll go off on adventures! Can you imagine?" Alison said dreamily, walking back to where Rayla sat on the bed, "A whole bunch of new worlds, just waiting for us to see them!"_

_"But you have to get a degree, and follow a whole bunch of rules to get a TARDIS," Rayla protested. "It's a job, not adventuring!"_

_"Then I'll steal one!" Alison proclaimed._

_"Quiet!" Rayla scolded. "You can't have anyone overhearing you plotting to break the law!"_

_"But really," said Alison, "It is possible. I know it is. Someone already did! A man... Doctor of something, I don't know."_

_"Well, he's silly," Rayla concluded, "to up and steal a TARDIS right before the Great War!"_

_"Oh come on, Rayla," Alison sighed. "You don't really believe those rumors, do you?"_

_"You never know," Rayla said defensively._

_"The Daleks don't stand a chance against us," Alison said confidently. "There isn't going to be a Time War of any sort. Maybe a five minute war, but you needn't worry yourself about it."_

_Rayla smiled up at her. "Oh Alista, you just seem so confident I can't help but agree with you!" she laughed. "I wish I could be strong like you. But I'd never be brave enough to steal a TARDIS."_

_"Don't worry," Alison said cheerily, "I'll steal it for you!"_

Faster than Alison could tell, new memories shot into her brain about her life on Gallifrey, Rayla, and her family. New knowledge she had gained over the eight years she had lived there, and experiences she knew she would never forget. Her name wasn't Alison, it was Alista. She was a Time Lord, or Time Lady, she supposed. Her cognitive abilities and IQ shot through the roof. More memories flooded her brain.

_I was kidnapped, _she realized. _I have to get home._

And with that final thought, that final determination, Alista the Time Lord opened her golden eyes and absorbed the last of her essence.


	5. Chapter 5

"Arms," Alison, no, _Alista,_ said to herself, holding them up. "Check. Legs? Yes, good... how's the rest of me?" Alista wobbled to her feet.

"Alison, sit back down," the Doctor said, but he was ignored.

"Cognitive abilities; thirty-nine billion eight hundred and fifteen million six hundred and seventy-three thousand eight hundred and sixty-four divided by one billion three hundred and seventy-five million eight hundred and twenty-six thousand nine hundred and forty equals twenty-eight point nine three nine four four nine two one eight eight-"

"Alison?" Amy asked, sounding scared. "Doctor, what's happening?"

"She's running checks," the Doctor said, as Alista continued with her math. "She's been human for five years, she's making sure there's no permanent damage."

"If she's not human, then what is she?"

"Time Lord," Alista said, finally finishing. "Or Time Lady, to be precise. And Doctor," she added, "Can I use your medical equipment?"

"The lab's this way." The Doctor helped Alista to her feet. "Amy, Rory, stay here, will you? I'll only be a minute."

Rory nodded, and led Amy out to their room. Amy kept glancing worriedly back at Alista, until they were out of sight.

The Doctor led Alista down another hallway to the lab. "Sit here, Alison," he said, gesturing to the hospital bed. "Or do you have another name?"

"Alista," Alista said. "The word still feels funny on my tongue," she laughed, "and I still feel like my brain is running too fast."

"All to be expected, Alista," the Doctor said. "Say 'ah!'"

"Ah..."

"Well, your throat looks good. Let me take your temperature." The Doctor pushed a funny, futuristic looking thermometer under Alista's tongue. "Eighty-two degrees."

"Wha?! Oh, right," Alista laughed, "I'm not completely used to being a Time Lady yet." She paused. "But I'm not supposed to remember my time as a human, am I?"

"No. Well, no Time Lord has ever been human as long as you. I guess your brain didn't want to lose five years worth of memories. Was it more painful than usual?"

"Compared to what? I was stolen when I was eight. I'm not able to regenerate. I haven't looked into the Time Vortex yet! Speaking of which," Alista gasped, "We should probably get home soon! My mother and father and Rayla will be worried!" Alista stood quickly. "Let's go!"

The Doctor gently grabbed her arm. "Alison – Alista, I mean... Alista, there's something I need to tell you."

"You can tell me when we get back home, Doctor," Alista grumbled, trying to pull her arm away.

"That's not going to happen," the Doctor said.

Alista looked back at him, worried. "What happened?"

"The Great Time War," he said. "It... it completely wiped out the Daleks – and the Time Lords. I'm sorry –"

Alista shook her head and stepped back slowly. "It can't be..."

"I'm sorry," the Doctor repeated.

"No," Alista sobbed, "NO!" she turned towards the door.

"Alista, wait-"

"Leave me alone!" Alista's words echoed down the corridor.

The TARDIS led Alista straight to her room, but Alista didn't stop to thank the time machine. She collapsed on the bed and broke down in tears. Everything and everyone she knew was gone. Rayla, her family, her planet, even. Alista locked the door, and didn't let anyone in. Not even the Doctor could convince the TARDIS to open the door. She knew Alista needed some space.

_What I day I'm having,_ she thought. She laughed a little. It almost seemed ridiculous, all this. She laughed louder. _I bet they're all listening out there,_ she thought, giggling. _I bet they think I'm crazy! _Alista got serious again. _If everyone else is gone, _she thought, _that means the Doctor is the only family I have left. _She got up slowly. "Okay," she said to the TARDIS. "I'm better now." Alista slowly got up.

By the time she had thoroughly explored the rest of the TARDIS, it had been several hours. She made her way back to the console room. Might as well do something exciting with the rest of her long, lonely life. It was time for an adventure.


	6. Chapter 6

Alista stepped into the console room. The Doctor was downstairs, sitting on his little swing and making wires spark, which Alista doubted was really helping with anything.

"I want to go somewhere," she said.

The Doctor looked up. "We are somewhere. We're in the Time Vortex."

"No," Alista sighed, "like a planet. But not Earth. I have had enough of Earth."

Just then, Amy and Rory came downstairs.

"Amy. Rory. Say hello to Alista," the Doctor introduced, coming upstairs.

"Hello," said Amy and Rory. Rory waved awkwardly. Alista waved awkwardly back.

"So, Alista, know any good planets?" asked the Doctor. Alista just shrugged. "Alright then," he said, "How about... Appalappachia!"

"Appalappachia?" Amy asked.

"Appalappachia," the Doctor repeated.

"Appalappachia!" Alista laughed.

"Appalappachia," the Doctor continued, "voted number two on the list of top planets to visit."

"Why couldn't we go to number one?" Rory asked.

"Number one," the Doctor spat, "is full of coffee shops and tourist traps. No, Appalappachia! Beautiful sunsets, soaring sunsets. I give you..."

"Doors," said Alista, stepping outside into a spotless, white room. All that was in the room was the TARDIS and a set of doors with two buttons.

"Yes. Doors. But BEYOND those doors, I give you beautiful sunsets, soaring spires-"

"Have you seen my phone?" asked Amy.

"Your phone?" the Doctor cried. "I take you to a beautiful new planet, and you want to update your Twitter?"

"Beautiful sunsets, soaring spires..." Amy sighed. "It's a camera phone?"

"It was on the kitchen counter, but I moved it," said Alista. "Here, I'll show you."

By the time the two girls got back, the men were gone. "Ugh, looks like they've already run off through those doors." Amy reached out and pressed the red button, and the door slid open.

Alista stepped inside. "They're not here." She walked over to a thing that looked like a big magnifying glass. "Wonder what this does."

But Amy was preoccupied. "Maybe they've gone back into the TARDIS." She walked out of the room, and the doors closed.

"Hey Amy," Alista said. "Amy?" She ran over to the door, but there was no knob, or button, or anything. She pounded on the door. "Hey!"

Alista's gaze fell back upon the magnifying glass. She ran over and pressed the green button, assuming green meant 'on' on Appalappachia too. The thing fizzed to life, like a screen. On it, the Doctor's face appeared.

"Doctor!"

"Alista!" The Doctor said. "Where are you?" Amy's face appeared there as well.

"She pressed the red button," Amy filled him in. "I can't get back in, though. It's like her room has been cut off. When I pressed the red button again, there was just an empty room."

"Alista?" the Doctor said. "I want you to keep calm. Just-" the screen fizzed out.

"Doctor?" Alista cried. "Doctor, no!"

Alista retreated to a corner of the room. "Hello?" she called. "Is there anyone else there?" But all was silent. After awhile, she fell asleep...


End file.
